I read in the Element owner's manual that you should only need "soap & water" to clean the seats, floor, dash, etc. My dealership salesman told me that's all I would need...and he told me not to use Windex on the plastic pieces, dash, etc., because it has "drying agents", (I guess those would be alcohol and/or ammonia) that would harm the plastic over time. Windex would be O.K. for the glass.

Forgetting about 303, Meguiar's and other auto cleaners for a second, my question is, what would be a "safe soap" for both types of seat material, floor, dash, and inside plastic?

I don't want to cause any damage to the "sensitive" Element interior pieces, seats, and floor, but I would like some cleaning power, instead of using just plain water.

Dishwashing liquid, like Dawn, has de-greasers to clean pots and pans, and I read where they might be harmful to a car's interior. Other household soaps may be too strong, sticky, or not rinse off well.

I was thinking about a small amount of Woolite, mixed with some warm water. It is supposed to be pretty gentle, and it would work on fabric.

BTW - I read on this site that the "rubbery material" on the sides of the seats, might be neoprene, is that true?

Any ideas or opinions?
Thanks in advance!

Murphy's Oil Soap has been suggested as ideal
http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=443

Baby wipes work great!

You first need to get your terms and concepts aligned here. Woolite is a detergent, as are all the car wash products and most dish and laundry products. They can emulsify oils, hold dirt in suspension, and act as wetting agents. Most of them are synthetic. Soaps are more "natural" in that they are produced by processing animal and vegetable fats with lye. Soaps tend to leave a film on metal surfaces and plastic and dry out objects. Common soaps are Ivory bars and washing flakes and Dr. Bronner's Castille soap with the funny whacko label.
I would not recommend a soap for auto finishes because of the film and the soap's lesser ability to slide dirt away off the surface.
I would only use Meguier's auto care products and other competitor products over any dish/laundry concoction. They add all those conditioners that help slide off dirt and avoid scratching surfaces.
I think the laundry and dish products leave stuff that is supposed to help china and glass look good. I don't know if it works for painted plastic and vinyl. If you want to try a cheap alternative, use diluted vinegar on an obscure area and if it works carry on.

I concur with geoduck. We use the Wolfgang products. They don't use the word "soap" to describe their car wash, but instead use the tem "Auto Bathe". :roll:

But it is indeed different than any "household" products. IMHO you should use household products for cleaning anything in your household. Using products intended for use on automobiles will keep your vehicle looking its very best much longer.

My humble 2 cents.

Dish soap and laundary detergents will REMOVE wax and/ or polymers that are used to protect the paint on your vehicle.